Timetable of events 0800 – Bike Jumble starts. £5-00 per table, proceeds to Brain Tumour Research. 0830 – Registration opens. 0900 – Course opens for pre-ride. There may not be marshals in place, or St. John on site yet, so let’s be careful out there. 1000 – Race One - Juvenile, Youth, Fun and Grand Vet. 1215 – Presentation for Race One. Don’t be late or your prize goes on e-bay. 1200 – Course open for practice for Race Two. 1300 – Race Two – Masters, Vets, Sport (inc Junior), Elite 1515 – Presentation for Race Two. Don’t be late - that means you, Southfork. Frequently asked questions (oh, how frequently!)Do I need a race licence? No. Anyone can enter this event and there is no need to buy a day licence. How technical will it be? This is a Soggy Bottom, the classic introduction to mountain bike racing. It’ll be tricky riding at speed, but will only register a 3.5 on the gnarliness scale. What category shall I enter? Have a look at the category page in this newsletter. What shall I carry / wear? ‘Be bold, start cold’. You aren’t going to be out there for more than 1 ½ hours so you won’t need a camelbak, sandwiches or overnight bag. Strip down to racing kit, put emergency spares in your pocket, put a water bottle on your bike and snacks in your jersey. Think Bradley Wiggins, not Bear Gryls. Where does the number go? OVER THE CABLES! Unless you want to incur the wrath of Khan, do not put your number under the cables. Your number is really hard to read if you do, so don’t blame us if we can’t read it and miss your lap. Use the cable ties to attach it to your handlebars and cables, then have a look from the front and make sure that it is easily visible from the front. Can I pre-ride the course? Yes. In fact we would advise that you do. Allow plenty of time on race day for a relaxed pre-ride. Get to the venue at least an hour early. You will never perform to your maximum ability if you haven’t had a look beforehand. Newnham Park is private land, and an active shooting ground. Do not attempt to enter the estate before the event.How is it marked? Badly. The course is marked with endless arrows, stakes and tape. White arrows show you what direction to go in, tape will keep you on track and stop you cheating and yellow arrows indicate a specific hazard coming up. One downward pointing arrow indicates a minor hazard, a double downward arrow is a significant hazard and a triple arrow is imminent death. Just slow down and have a look first. How many laps? The number of laps will be displayed in the registration, and the British Cycling commissaire will remind you on the start line. The race duration for different categories is set in stone and decided by God, so just expect to be out there for 1 ½ hours and you won’t go far wrong. How long will a lap, and how long will it take me?Laps are generally about 5km long and will take you less time if you pedal quicker! What is the overtaking / being overtaken etiquette?When you come up behind a slower rider, give them a lot of notice that you are approaching by shouting ‘rider’ or ‘track’, then when you get close to them, either stipulate which side you are going to pass on ‘On your left / right’ or give them the choice of side ‘coming past when you’re ready’. Don’t be a bully – you’re not that good. Be patient, and once you have overtaken, thank the rider. When being overtaken, just relax, acknowledge the rider behind and pull to the side when you feel comfortable. DON’T STOP, just pull over to one side. If we as organisers hear that any of the riders have been abusive during the race, they will be black-balled and not welcome at any of our future events. You have been warned. What tyres? Don’t start.How are the series standings calculated? For the series, it’s all 3 rounds to count. First place in each race earns 40 points, 39 for second etc etc. Don’t ask why, it’s just always been done that way. Folk with the most points win the series. What do points make? Prizes!